Disposable wipe and tissue products are convenient, relatively inexpensive, sanitary, and easy to use. Personal care wipes are convenient because they are portable, suitable for travel, and versatile. Examples of disposable wipes include wet wipes (or wipers), e.g., baby wipes and cosmetic wipes. In addition to personal care wipes, disposable household wipes include kitchen cleaning wipes and dusting wipes.
Although convenient, discarding of disposable wipes can be problematic when the wipe substrates are not biodegradable or not “flushable.” “Flushable” refers to an ability to evacuate a toilet. Wipe substrates that are not biodegradable or flushable can accumulate in landfills. However, even “flushable” wipe substrates may not be made of materials that are substantially water dispersible. In particular, a wipe substrate's ability to evacuate a toilet can be merely due to small size. Thus, wipes that do not disintegrate or substantially disperse in water have disadvantages because they can plug screens and jam pumps in sewage treatment plants.
Accordingly, there is a need for a biodegradable, water dispersible wipe that employs a nonwoven substrate made of individualized, natural fibers having a length as small as 4 millimeters. It is to solving this problem the present invention is directed.